Untitled Sermon

Overview of Acts 2:1–13

(Calm, measured tone) Before we get into Peter’s words, let’s remember what’s just taken place. In Acts 2:1–13, we witnessed the fulfillment of a promise Jesus had made only days earlier—to send the Holy Spirit upon His followers with power from on high.

They were gathered together, waiting in obedience and unity. Luke says, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). That phrase—with one accord—reminds us that they were of one mind and one heart. There were no divisions, no competing agendas, just a people waiting for God to move.

And then, suddenly, heaven broke through. “A sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, filled the house where they were sitting.” Tongues like fire rested upon each of them, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The sound of that wind drew a crowd—Jews and proselytes from every nation under heaven, all bewildered because they each heard the disciples declaring the mighty works of God in their own tongue. This was no small gathering. Jerusalem was full of pilgrims for the feast, and the streets were alive with confusion, wonder, and debate.

(Brief pause) Some stood amazed. Others mocked. “They are full of new wine,” they said. But even that misunderstanding served a purpose—it opened the door for the first sermon of the Church.

(Segue—slight lift in tone) And so Peter stood up. The same Peter who once denied Jesus now raises his voice with boldness, filled with the Holy Spirit, ready to declare what God has done.

Section 1 – Acts 2:14–21

(Confident, inviting tone) “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem,” Peter began, “let this be known to you, and heed my words” (Acts 2:14).

The transformation is immediate and striking. The man who once cowered in fear before a servant girl now stands before thousands. Fear had been replaced by fire. The Holy Spirit had turned a fisherman into a preacher, and the same Spirit that filled the room now filled his heart.

Peter starts not with accusation, but with clarification. “These are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.” Nine in the morning—too early for wine, but just the right hour for the Spirit to move.

Then he gives them the meaning of what they’ve witnessed. “This,” he says in Acts 2:16, “is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.”

(Encourage listeners to turn) Turn with me to Joel 2:28–32. These are the words Peter quotes:

“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

(Reflective pause) Peter’s declaration is clear: what they are seeing is not confusion—it is confirmation. This is the promise of God unfolding before their eyes. Joel spoke of a day when the Spirit would not be limited to prophets, priests, or kings but poured out on all flesh—men and women, young and old, rich and poor alike.

And then comes the great invitation: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32). That promise stands at the heart of the gospel. Salvation is not reserved for a privileged few. It is extended to all who will call upon the Lord in faith.

(Pause gently) Peter begins where God begins—with grace. Before he speaks of sin, he reminds them of mercy. Before he points to their guilt, he points to God’s promise. And in doing so, he gives us a model for our own witness: we declare what God has done before we confront what man has done.

(Softer tone) The miracle of Pentecost is not merely that they spoke in different languages—it is that God spoke through them. The Spirit of God made His dwelling in human hearts, and from that day forward, the message would never be silenced.

(Short pause) In the next section, Peter will take us from prophecy to fulfillment—from what was promised to the One who has come.

Section 1

(Acts 2:14–21 – Peter begins to speak)

(Pause – calm, steady tone) The crowd was buzzing. Some stood in amazement. Others mocked. Confusion rippled through the streets of Jerusalem as sound and fire had filled the air. And then—Peter stood up.

(Slight lift in tone) This was not the same Peter who once denied knowing Jesus. This was a man transformed by the Holy Spirit. The same fisherman who once trembled before a servant girl now raised his voice to address thousands. “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words” (Acts 2:14).

(Pause) The first sermon of the Church began not with a defense of philosophy or morality, but with explanation and revelation. “These are not drunk, as you suppose,” Peter said, “since it is only the third hour of the day.” No, this was something holy—something ancient, something foretold.

(Encouraging tone) Turn with me to the prophet Joel—Joel 2:28–32. This is the passage Peter quotes word for word:

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Joel 2:28–32, NKJV)

Peter’s declaration connects the sound of wind and the tongues of fire to this very prophecy. “In the last days,” Peter says in Acts 2:17, quoting Joel, “God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh.”

(Reflective tone) The phrase “last days” doesn’t mean the end of the world had arrived—it means the age of fulfillment had begun. God’s Spirit would now dwell in His people. No longer would prophecy or divine presence be reserved for a chosen few. Sons and daughters, servants and free—all could now receive His Spirit.

And the promise ends with hope: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). Peter begins here, with mercy before judgment, grace before rebuke. He starts where God starts—with invitation.

(Softly) When the Spirit speaks through His people, it brings not confusion but clarity, not fear but faith. What was happening at Pentecost wasn’t the birth of chaos—it was the birth of the Church.

(Brief pause) In the next section, Peter will move from explaining what they’ve seen to revealing who they’ve crucified—and what God has done through it.